Obama Doctrine is Failing in the Middle East

The Middle East was meant to be the crowning achievement of the Obama Doctrine. Once in the White House, President Obama focused laser-like on a “charm offensive” with Iran. When voices rose against the regime in Tehran in the wake of a disputed national election, Obama offered virtually no support for the cries for freedom. Nevertheless, the “playing nice initiative” with Tehran fell flat. Today, the regime is more aggressive than ever—backing a terrorist take-over of the government in Lebanon, snubbing Western nuclear negotiators, and promoting an Islamist agenda across the region.

The other prong of the president’s outreach offensive was to throw all his energies into the peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel. Obama’s initiative, however, lacked new and constructive ideas. He has been equivocal in his support for Israel. The White House has failed to press for a hard line against Hamas, an avowed terrorist organization. The results here were all too predictable as well. The president has nothing to show for two years of inept effort.

Obama also bought into the false belief that improving relations between Palestine and Israel was the solution to “all problems” in the Middle East. That simplistic notion masks the serious challenges in the region—lack of healthy civil societies, a paucity of economic freedom, exploding demographic growth, endemic unemployment, environmental troubles, lurking Islamism, terrorism, and troublemaking from Iran. Much the enmity expressed against the West is more properly the product of homegrown problems. Yet, Obama has done little to address these issues other than try to solve them all with a single speech in Cairo.

While the troubles sweeping the Middle East today are the result of the failure of the regimes to provide liberty and opportunity to their own peoples, this administration’s halting and tentative response is emblematic of a White House that lacks a serious plan for dealing with a part of the world where the US has vital strategic interests.

It is time for Obama to jettison the Obama Doctrine, a policy of mostly talk, in favor of a strategy that treats the Middle East as more than a distraction.

Next, the Administration must make clear it will finish the job in Iraq and keep the U.S. forces and resources in place that the government in Baghdad needs to complete its transition to a secure and sovereign state that can protect itself and look after the needs of its own citizens.

Obama must also revitalize the partnership with Israel. Israel remains America’s most important and reliable ally in the region.

And the White House must go after the regime in Iran. Sanctions and political isolation have hurt Iran, but the administration has been reluctant to press for further sanctions or ensure the full implementation of the ones on the books. That is a huge mistake. The most effective means to tame the regime in Tehran and help lay the foundation for its eventual demise is to stiffen U.S. resolve to isolate and punish the regime for fostering terrorism, promoting an Islamist agenda, pursuing nuclear weapons, and causing suffering and loss of liberty to the Iranian people.

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James Jay Carafano, a leading expert in national security and foreign policy challenges, is The Heritage Foundation’s vice president for foreign and defense policy studies, E. W. Richardson fellow, and director of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies. Read his research.

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Well done James. Isreal is America's best hand in a rough and tumble region of dogmatic power grabbing thugs. Isreal is an added security for peoples' freedoms in the Middle East and abroad. Long live the state of Isreal.

I assert the United States has been, and is still, undergoing an invasion of illegal aliens. Because of this invasion the political leaders of the federal government have failed to adhere to their oath to protect the constitution. Article 1 section 8 states "Congress has the power to provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasion." Article IV section 4 states "The United States shall guarantee to every state in this Union a Republican form of government and shall protect each of them against invasion." It is patently obvious the United States has an illegal population of between 15-30 million people. They have invaded (the act of invading, encroaching or trespassing) and trespassed (to go on another's land or property unlawfully) with the Federal government essentially acting as an accessory to the illegal acts and has failed, miserably, to uphold both aforementioned Articles of the Constitution. I would like to see our representatives address this issue and hold President Obama responsible for his abject failure to protect all American citizens and legal residents from the horde of illegals that have invaded our country and caused hundreds of billions of dollars (nationwide) of debt due to welfare payments, medical treatment and educating their children etc.

How and why do you, [the author], figure that Israel is the "most important and reliable ally of the United StaTes"?

Israel is paid HUGE money to cause a lot of trouble and seize land from their niehbors. Oppress imprison and murder the native population and call for their elimination. They move their population into occupied territory against international law -and the wishes of their benefactor, the USA.

Israel apologists and Hasbara operatives better get busy because the internet is waking up the American people. Ask rand Paul and his Daddy, they see the light.

[…] Carafano of The Heritage Foundation has written a blog post on the Obama Doctrine titled “Obama Doctine is Failing in the Middle East.” Carafano argues that the Obama Doctrine failed the people of Iran when they rose up […]

[…] best hope that Egypt will not go the way of Iran or Somalia.UPDATE III: Via Katy Pundit, we have an analysis by Jim Carafano of The Heritage Foundation titled “Obama Doctine is Failing in the Middle…Personally, I’m hesitant to interpret the situation in Egypt as a litmus test of Obama’s […]

If the US ceases to support Israel the US will be signing its own death warrant. Why is it that people like warmonkey believe it is a crime for Israel to defend itself? The current administration in Washington is one of utter failure in the middle east and as for native populations, there has been an Israeli presence in that area far longer than those calling themselves Palestinian, an area that was nothing more than a Roman territory.

Obama's policies appear to be failing all over.His yet again 'laser focus' will be on jobs and renaming spending while:

* renaming spending.

* ignoring the border.

* keeping his records sealed.

* suing States for trying to the jobs he is failing to do.

* continuing to trash the Constitution.

* vacationing, golfing and partying.

At least one of the grievences listed in the Declaration of Independence reminds me of Obama's administration. He has erected a multitude of New Offices andsent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out of their substance.

Take a look and see how many of the original greivences fit this administration.

Your information is incorrect. If you would refer to the exact conversation between Rand Paul and Wolf Blitzer (Video and manuscript at CNN) you will find that Rand Paul says he would like to end all aid because he feels that sending aid to opposing countries is counterproductive for the United States. The example he used was about sending aid to Israel and It's neighboring countries who are on opposite sides of the argument. He goes on to say that the aid we send is often stolen by corrupt leaders of these countries and is money wasted. He also said he supports Israel's democratic society. Rand Paul nor his "Daddy" are not foolish enough to make anti Israel statements. Both are opposed to all foreign aid for the aforementioned reasons. This entire discussion is in reference to where budget cuts will be made. Liberals want military cuts and Rand Paul and other Republicans suggested foreign aid cuts.

[…] Carafano of The Heritage Foundation has written a blog post on the Obama Doctrine titled “Obama Doctine is Failing in the Middle East.” Carafano argues that the Obama Doctrine failed the people of Iran when they rose up against a […]

"Inept effort" is putting this dilettante to a higher level than he should take credit for. I remember during the '08 presidential campaign and how Progressives got down on Palin for her "lack of experience." Obama had experience as a junior senator and community organizer for ACORN. So much for experience and we've seen where it's lead us. Now, the "Apologist" is backing ElBaradei and the Muslim Brotherhood to help make a transition of power in Egypt, what a statesman. As Americans, we need to step back, especially Obama, give solidarity to the Egyptian peoples to find their true voice for democracy. Like it or not, this is not our decision and we have only made it worse for the Egyptian peoples by our past foreign policies.

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